questionable amusements and worthy substitutes-第9部分

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greeting　his　dear　one　received。　　After　a　little　the　father　retired；　leaving　his

daughter　to　the　care　of　the　many　handsome　gallants　who　danced　attendance

upon　her。　　The　reception　did　not　close　until　the　small　hours　of　the　morning。

Each　waltz　became　more　voluptuous；　intoxicated　by　sensuality；　the

dancers　became　more　bold；　and　lust　was　aroused　in　every　breast。　　How

many　sins　that　reception　occasioned；　I　do　not　know；　this；　at　least；　is　sure；

that　this　girl　who　entered　that　dancing…hall　three　months　before；　as　pure　as

an　angel；　was　that　night。robbed　of　her　honor　and　returned　to　her　home

deprived　forever　of　that　most　precious　jewel　of　womanhoodvirtue。　　Her

first　impulse　the　next　morning　was　self…destruction；　then　she　deluded

herself　with　the　thought　of　marriage　with　her　dancing　companion；　but

he　still　further　insulted　her　by　declaring　that　he　wanted　a　pure　woman

for　his　wife。　　What　was　her　end？　　Shunned　by　the　very　society　which

egged　her　on　to　ruin；　her　self…respect　was　gone　with　her　lost　purity；　she

went　to　her　own　kind；　and　in　shame　is　closing　her　days。〃　　〃Of　two

hundred　brothel　inmates　to　whom　Professor　Faulkner　talked；　and　who

were　frank　enough　to　answer　his　question　as　to　the　direct　cause　of　their

shame；　seven　said　poverty　and　abuse；　ten；　willful　choice；　twenty；　drink

given　them　by　their　parents；　and　one　hundred　and　sixty…three；　dancing

and　the　ball…room。〃　　〃A　former　chief　of　police　of　New　York　City　says

that　three…fourths　of　the　abandoned　girls　of　this　city　were　ruined　by

dancing。〃　　Of　the　dance；　one　says：　　〃It　lays　its　lecherous　hand　upon　the

fair　character　of　innocence；　and　converts　it　into　a　putrid　corrupting

thing。　　It　enters　the　domain　of　virtue；　and　with　silent；　steady　blows　takes

the　foundation　from　underneath　the　pedestal　on　which　it　sits　enthroned。

It　lists　the　gate　and　lets　in　a　flood　of　vice　and　impurity　that　sweeps　away

modesty；　chastity；　and　all　sense　of　shame。　　It　keeps　company　with　the

low；　the　degraded；　and　the　vile。　　It　feeds　upon　the　passion　it　inflames；

and　fattens　on　the　holiest　sentiments；　turned　by　its　touch　to　filth　and

rottenness。　　It　loves　the　haunts　of　vice；　and　is　at　home　in　the　company　of

harlots　and　debauchees。〃　　George　T。　Lemon　says：　　〃No　Church　in

Christendom　commends　or　even　excuses　the　dance。　　All　unite　to　condemn

it。〃　　The　late　Episcopal　bishop　of　Vermont；　writes：　　〃Dancing　is　chargeable

with　waste　of　time；　interruption　of　useful　study；　the　indulgence　of　personal

vanity　and　display；　and　the　premature　incitement　of　the　passions。　　At　the

age　of　maturity　it　adds　to　these　no　small　danger　to　health　by　late　hours；

flimsy　dress；　heated　rooms；　and　exposed　persons。〃　　Episcopal　Bishop

Meade；　of　Virginia；　declares：　　〃Social　dancing　is　not　among　the　neutral

things　which；　within　certain　limits；　we　may　do　at　pleasure；　and　it　is　not

among　the　things　lawful；　but　not　expedient；　but　it　is　in　itself　wrong；

improper；　and　of　bad　effect。〃　　Episcopal　Bishop　McIlvaine；　of　Ohio；

putting　the　dance　and　the　theater　together；　writes：　　〃The　only　line　that　I

would　draw　in　regard　to　these　is　that　of　entire　exclusion。。The　question

is　not　what　we　can　imagine　them　to　be；　but　what　they　always　have　been；

will　be；　and　must　be；　in　such　a　world　as　this；　to　render　them　pleasurable

to　those　who　patronize　them。　　Strip　them　bare　until　they　stand　in　the

simple　innocence　to　which　their　defenders'　arguments　would　reduce　them

and　the　world　would　not　have　them。〃　　A　Roman　Catholic　priest　testifies

that　〃the　confessional　revealed　the　fact　that　nineteen　out　of　every　twenty

women　who　fall　can　trace　the　beginning　of　their　state　to　the　modern　dance。〃







V。

THEATER…GOING。



WITH　drunkenness；　gambling；　and　dancing；　theater…going　dates　from

the　beginning　of　history；　and　with　these　it　is　not　only　questionable　in

morals；　but　it　is　positively　bad。　　Every　one　who　knows　any　thing　about

the　institution　of　the　theater；　as　such；　knows　that　it　always　has　been

corrupting　in　its　influence。　　Not　only　those　who　attend　the　theater

pronounce　it　bad；　as　a　whole；　but　it　is　frowned　upon　by　play…writers；

and　by　actors　and　actresses　themselves。　　Five　hundred　years　before

Christ；　Jew；　Pagan；　and　Christian　spoke　against　the　theater。　　It　is

stated　on　good　authority　that　the　dissipations　of　the　theater　were

the　chief　cause　of　the　decadence　of　ancient　Greece。　　At　one　time；

Augustus；　the　emperor　of　Rome；　was　asked　as　a　means　of　public

safety；　to　suppress　the　theater。　　The　early　Christians　held　the　theater

in　such　bad　repute　as　to　rank　it　with　the　heathen　temple。　　And　to

these　two　places　they　would　not　go；　even　to　preach　the　Good　News

of　Jesus　Christ。　　Nor　has　the　moral　tone　and　character　of　the　theater

improved；　even　in　our　day。　　Dr。　Theodore　Cuyler；　for　many　years

an　experienced　pastor　in　Brooklyn；　Says：　　〃The　American　theater

is　a　concrete　institution；　to　be　judged　as　a　totality。　　It　is　responsible

for　what　it　tolerates　and　shelters。　　We；　therefore；　hold　it　responsible

for　whatever　of　sensual　impurity　and　whatever　of　irreligion；　as　well

as　for　whatever　of　occasional　and　sporadic　benefit　there　may　be　bound

up　in　its　organic　life。　　Instead　of　helping　Christ's　kingdom；　it　hinders；

instead　of　saving　souls；　it　corrupts　and　destroys。〃　　Dr。　Buckley　gives

this　testimony：　　〃Being　aware　of　the　fact　that　the　drama；　like　every

thing　else　which　caters　to　the　taste；　has　its　fashionsrising　and　falling

and　undergoing　various　changesnow　improving；　and　then　degenerating；

I　have　thought　it　desirable　to　institute　a　careful　inquiry　into　the　plays

which　have　been　performed　in　the　principal　theaters　of　New　York　during

the　past　three　years。　　Accordingly；　I　procured　the　copies　used　by　the

performers　in　preparing　for　their　parts；　and　took　pains　to　ascertain

wherein；　in　actual　use；　the　actors　diverged　from　the　printed　copies。

They　number　over　sixty；　and；　with　the　exception　of　a　few　unprinted

plays；　include　all　that　have　been　produced　in　the　prominent　theaters

of　New　York　during　the　three　years　now　about　closing。。It　is　a　singular

fact；　that；　with　three　or　four　exceptions；　those　dramatic　compositions；

among　the　sixty　or　more　under　discussion；　which　are　morally　objectionable；

are　of　a　comparatively　low　order　of　literary　execution。　　But　if　language

and　sentiments；　which　would　not　be　tolerated　among　respectable　people；

and　would　excite　indignation　if　addressed　to　the　most　uncultivated　and

coarse　servant　girl；　not　openly　vicious；　by　an　ordinary　young　man；　and

profaneness　which　would　brand　him　who　uttered　it　as　irreligious；　are

improper　amusements　for　the　young　and　for　Christians　of　every　age；　then

at　least　fifty　of　these　plays　are　to　be　condemned。〃



In　the　first　place　the　theater　leads　one　into　bad　company。　　As　a　class；

the　performers　are　licentious。　　How　can　one　be　in　their　company；　be

moved　to　laughter　and　to　tears　and　not　be　contaminated　by　them？

One　who　has　studied　the　theater　tells　us　that　the　〃fruits　of　the　Spirit

and　the　fruits　of　the　stage　exhibit　as　pointed　a　contrast　as　the　human

imagination　can　conceive。〃　　The　famous　Macready；　as　he　retired　from

the　stage；　wrote：　　〃None　of　my　children；　with　my　consent　under　any

pretense；　shall　ever　enter　the　theater；　nor　shall　they　have　any　visiting

connection　with　play　actors　or　actresses。〃　　Dr。　Johnson　asks　the　question：

〃How　can　they　mingle　together　as　they　do；　men　and　women；　and　make

public　exhibitions　of　themselves　as　they　do；　in　such　circumstances；

with　such　surroundings；　with　such　speech　as　much　often　be　on　their

lips　to　play　the　plays　that　are　written；　in　such　positions　as　they　must

sometimes　take；　affecting　such　sentiment　and　passionshow　can　they　do

this　without　moral　contamination？〃　　And　we　would　ask；　how　can　persons

live　enrapt　with　this　sort　of　thing　for　hours　and　hours　each　week；　the　year

around；　and　not　become　equally　contaminated；　for　to　the　onlooker　all　this

comes　as　a　reality；　while　to　those　who　are　performing；　it　is　hired　shamming？

Therefore；　as　the　pupil　becomes　the　teacher；　so　the　attendant　at　the　theater

becomes　like　the　one　who　performs。　　So　that　to　go　to　the　theater　is　to　〃sit　in

the　seat　of　the　scornful　or　to　stand　in　the　way　of　sinners。〃　　〃There　you　find

the　man；〃　says　one；　〃who　has　lost　all　love　for　his　home；　the　careless；　the

profane；　the　spendthrift；　the　drunkard；　and　the　lowest　prostitute　of　the　street。

They　are　found　in　all　parts　of　the　house；　they　crowd　the　gallery；　and

together　should　aloud　the　applause；　greeting　that　which　caricatures　religion；

sneers　at　virtue；　or　hints　at　indecency。〃　　Not　only　the　actors　and　the　onlookers

of　the　average　theater　are　vile；　but　all　of　the　immediate　associations　of　the

playhouse　must　correspond　with　it。　　If　not　in　the　same　building　with　the

theater；　in　adjoining　ones；　at　least；　are　found　the　wine…parlor　and　the

brothel。　　It　is　generally　conceded　that　no　theater　can　be　prosperous　if　it　is

wholly　separated　from　these　adjuncts　of　evil。



The　theater；　therefore；　kills　spiritually　and　degrades　the　moral　life

of　the　one　who　attends　it。　　The　theater　deals　with　the　spectacular。

This　appeals　to　the　eye；　to　the　ear；　and　to　all　of　the　outer　senses。

Spirituality　depends　upon　a　cultivation　of　the　spiritual　senses　that

Grace　has　opened　up　within　the　soul。　　Hence；　the　spectacular　is

directly　opposed　to　the　spiritual。　　The　deep；　contemplative；　spiritual

soul　could　find　little　or　no　food　in　the　false；　clap…trap　representations

of　the　modern　stage。　　And　to　find　an　increased　interest　here　is

evidence　that　one　lacks　spiritual　life；　at　least　deep…seated　spiritual

life。　　This　is　why　so　many　professing　Christians　are　so　eager　to　go　to

the　card…party；　to　the　dancing…party；　and　to　the　theater。　　The　inner…

sense　life　of　the　soul　is　dead；　and　one　must　have　something　upon

which　to　feed；　hence　he　feeds　upon　the　husks　of　〃imprudent　and

un…Christian　amusements。〃　　And　let　one　who　has　a　measure　of

spiritual　life；　instead　of　increasing　it；　seek　to　satisfy　his　soul…

longing　by　means　of　the　spectacular；　of　false　rep